Penn State gets Southern Mississippi transfer D.J. Newbill

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – New Penn State coach Patrick Chambers has picked up his first major player in Happy Valley, with former Southern Mississippi guard D.J. Newbill deciding to transfer to the Nittany Lions.

Newbill must sit out this season and will have three years of eligibility left starting in 2012. Penn State said Newbill completed his transfer paperwork and began attending classes Monday.

Newbill averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds as a freshman last season for the Golden Eagles. The Philadelphia native was the 2010 Pennsylvania Class AA player of the year as a senior at Stawberry Mansion High.

Chambers took over as coach in June, two weeks after Ed DeChellis resigned to take the same position at Navy.